roller coaster

a small gravity railroad, especially in an amusement park, having a train with open cars that moves along a high, sharply winding trestle built with steep inclines that produce sudden, speedy plunges for thrill-seeking passengers.

2.

a car or train of cars for such a railroad.

3.

any phenomenon, period, or experience of persistent or violent ups and downs, as one fluctuating between prosperity and recession or elation and despair.

Origin of roller coaster

1885-1890

First recorded in 1885-90

roller-coaster

[roh-ler-koh-ster, roh-li-] /ˈroʊ lərˌkoʊ stər, ˈroʊ lɪ-/

verb (used without object)

1.

to go up and down like a roller coaster; rise and fall:

a narrow road roller-coastering around the mountain; a light boat roller-coastering over the waves.

2.

to experience a period of prosperity, happiness, security, or the like, followed by a contrasting period of economic depression, despair, or the like:

The economy was roller-coastering throughout most of the decade.

adjective

3.

of, relating to, or characteristic of a roller coaster.

4.

resembling the progress of a ride on a roller coaster in sudden extreme changeableness.